diff --git a/Libraries/Components/DatePicker/DatePickerIOS.ios.js b/Libraries/Components/DatePicker/DatePickerIOS.ios.js
index ede2500ee5c2c8..e42b6ac5995692 100644
--- a/Libraries/Components/DatePicker/DatePickerIOS.ios.js
+++ b/Libraries/Components/DatePicker/DatePickerIOS.ios.js
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ var View = require('View');
 
 var requireNativeComponent = require('requireNativeComponent');
 
-var DATEPICKER = 'datepicker';
-
 type DefaultProps = {
   mode: 'date' | 'time' | 'datetime';
 };
@@ -108,8 +106,8 @@ var DatePickerIOS = React.createClass({
     // certain values. In other words, the embedder of this component should
     // be the source of truth, not the native component.
     var propsTimeStamp = this.props.date.getTime();
-    if (nativeTimeStamp !== propsTimeStamp) {
-      this.refs[DATEPICKER].setNativeProps({
+    if (this._picker && nativeTimeStamp !== propsTimeStamp) {
+      this._picker.setNativeProps({
         date: propsTimeStamp,
       });
     }
@@ -120,7 +118,7 @@ var DatePickerIOS = React.createClass({
     return (
       <View style={props.style}>
         <RCTDatePickerIOS
-          ref={DATEPICKER}
+          ref={ picker => this._picker = picker }
           style={styles.datePickerIOS}
           date={props.date.getTime()}
           maximumDate={
diff --git a/Libraries/Picker/PickerIOS.ios.js b/Libraries/Picker/PickerIOS.ios.js
index 5c245397d0b0a1..ffda1f57d174d5 100644
--- a/Libraries/Picker/PickerIOS.ios.js
+++ b/Libraries/Picker/PickerIOS.ios.js
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ var View = require('View');
 
 var requireNativeComponent = require('requireNativeComponent');
 
-var PICKER = 'picker';
-
 var PickerIOS = React.createClass({
   mixins: [NativeMethodsMixin],
 
@@ -57,7 +55,7 @@ var PickerIOS = React.createClass({
     return (
       <View style={this.props.style}>
         <RCTPickerIOS
-          ref={PICKER}
+          ref={ picker => this._picker = picker }
           style={styles.pickerIOS}
           items={this.state.items}
           selectedIndex={this.state.selectedIndex}
@@ -81,8 +79,8 @@ var PickerIOS = React.createClass({
     // disallow/undo/mutate the selection of certain values. In other
     // words, the embedder of this component should be the source of
     // truth, not the native component.
-    if (this.state.selectedIndex !== event.nativeEvent.newIndex) {
-      this.refs[PICKER].setNativeProps({
+    if (this._picker && this.state.selectedIndex !== event.nativeEvent.newIndex) {
+      this._picker.setNativeProps({
         selectedIndex: this.state.selectedIndex
       });
     }